Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 132

132. 39th. The Start of Settlement (1)

Myeong Jin-ho, who was breathing heavily, noticed the executives staring blankly at him, and his eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing! Get moving now!”

“Yes?”

Myeong Jin-ho pointed at the executives and pounded his chest.

“The Blue House [South Korean presidential residence], gold badges [high-ranking officials], public officials, creditors! Meet them all and stop them! Before those bastards devour Ado Motors, hurry!”

“Yes, yes!”

Only after Myeong Jin-ho pointed to the conference room door did the executives hurriedly get up from their seats and rush out of the room. Left alone, Myeong Jin-ho, still breathing heavily, dialed a phone number. As soon as the call connected, Myeong Jin-ho shouted into the receiver.

“Hey, Lee Dae-soo! What the hell are you doing! Are you really trying to cut me out!”

Myeong Jin-ho had been trying to act his age since he turned 30, making an effort to be more composed, but today, he couldn’t control his anger, and his old, more volatile habits resurfaced.

“Daring to stab me in the back! A guy who only knew how to play with money is acting up just because the company has some cash!”

For the next 10 minutes, Myeong Jin-ho continued to shout and hurl insults. As he breathed roughly, Lee Dae-soo’s voice reached Myeong Jin-ho’s ears.

[Are you done? Saying everything that’s been bottled up?]

At Lee Dae-soo’s even tone, Myeong Jin-ho’s eyes narrowed.

“What?”

[Since you seem to be finished, I’ll speak now.]

Myeong Jin-ho swallowed hard at Lee Dae-soo’s voice, which seemed colder than the air of the underworld.

[Who stabbed who in the back first? You’re spouting such nonsense! Just because you say it doesn’t make it true!]

Myeong Jin-ho’s mouth dropped open. Lee Dae-soo, who had always been so polite and respectful, was now shouting such harsh profanities?

“Wh-what did you say? Nonsense? Spout it out?”

[Don’t keep harping on the past! Do you think I didn’t know that 20 years ago, you conspired with Hyung-nim Byung-ho [older brother, term of respect] to turn our family’s money into scraps of paper?]

“H-how did you…?”

The truth about the 8.3 private loan freeze, which he thought no one would ever know, came out of Lee Dae-soo’s mouth, and Myeong Jin-ho, completely stunned, ended up admitting the truth.

More than 20 years ago, Myeong Jin-ho, unable to bear the high interest rates on private loans in those difficult times, had been lured by Shinseong Group’s Jang Byung-ho and joined hands with him. He had been unwillingly dragged into the drinking parties as he became Jang Byung-ho’s accomplice, so he had tried to forget it and lived as if it never happened…

[How does it matter how I know? If you’re going to wear a human mask, you should at least have some decency! My father and I trusted you and lent you money at such low rates, how could you do that as a human being!]

Myeong Jin-ho froze at Lee Dae-soo’s murderous roar. If the Lee Dae-soo family hadn’t trusted him and lent him money so many times, he wouldn’t have even dreamed of reaching this position, would he?

The guilt washed over him, and the despairing reality made Myeong Jin-ho’s head spin. The acquisition of Ado Motors was a problem, but with the money slowly drying up, wasn’t Haedong Group the only place to get money? Whether it was dollars or won.

While Myeong Jin-ho kept his mouth shut, Lee Dae-soo’s roar continued.

[Do I look like such a pushover to you? If my late father hadn’t stopped me, I would have buried an ax blade in your head that day!]

After that, Myeong Jin-ho had to taste just how terrifying Lee Dae-soo could be. Cold sweat formed on the edges of Myeong Jin-ho’s forehead from Lee Dae-soo’s relentless torrent of abuse and venom.

As Lee Dae-soo paused to catch his breath, Myeong Jin-ho began to retort.

“So, you’re really going to stick with Jang Byung-ho’s son and that Yankee dog to take over Ado Motors? For 3 trillion won?”

[Worry about your own affairs! You might have to build an American factory with your dwindling resources because Clinton is hitting the automotive industry with Super 301 [US trade law], who are you to worry about others?]

Myeong Jin-ho gritted his teeth. He should have been pleading with Lee Dae-soo, but Lee Dae-soo was stabbing him in his weakest spot again, causing his face to turn red as if it would explode.

“Y-you son of a bitch!”

Myeong Jin-ho couldn’t hold back his anger and cursed, but all he got in return was a snort from Lee Dae-soo.

[Who knows who’s going to get struck by lightning! I have 500 billion won in Taehyun Group bills in my hand, should I cash them in? I need to receive 250 billion won immediately, and another 300 billion won is due next month and the month after?]

“Wh-what did you say?”

Myeong Jin-ho’s face turned as white as a sheet. Lee Dae-soo had taken on all those bills?

[No need to be surprised. My investments in the Yankee stock market have grown handsomely, so I have money to burn, euhehe [Korean laughter].]

It was blatant ridicule, mockery, and insult, but Myeong Jin-ho couldn’t say anything. His nerves were entirely focused on the 500 billion won in Taehyun Group bills held by Haedong Merchant Bank.

“Y-you, are you going to cash in all those bills?”

[Now that your words have become polite, it seems you’re finally feeling regret. You should know how to treat people like human beings when they treat you like one, but you only restrain yourself when your neck is in a noose and a knife is at your throat. Tsk, tsk.]

Lee Dae-soo’s clicking tongue didn’t even register with Myeong Jin-ho. The only thing on his mind was the fear that 500 billion won, half of Taehyun Electronics’ net profit from the year before last, could be withdrawn all at once.

“Don’t change the subject, answer me! Are you going to cash in all 500 billion won!”

Myeong Jin-ho shouted urgently, his mouth parched.

He had spent hundreds of billions of won due to the separation from Myeong Se-ho, and if Lee Dae-soo withdrew 500 billion won at once, Taehyun Group, with its tens of trillions of won in assets, would have to survive with only a little over 1 trillion won in liquid assets.

Assets are the body, and cash is the blood. To prevent Taehyun Group from collapsing because the blood couldn’t circulate, Myeong Jin-ho had to change the mind of Lee Dae-soo, who was playing the aristocrat in his Samcheong-dong study.

###

Sitting at his desk in his Samcheong-dong study, Lee Dae-soo let out a satisfied chuckle.

“Hmm… I’ll consider it based on how Hyung-nim acts.”

[Consider it based on how I act? Not a decision?]

“I have to listen to see if it’s a proposal I like before I can consider it and make a decision, right? Do I have to explain everything one by one like a child?”

In his 75 years of life, Lee Dae-soo had never felt so relieved. He was subjecting Myeong Jin-ho to all sorts of insults and humiliations, wasn’t he?

[Kkeueueung…]

Lee Dae-soo chuckled as Myeong Jin-ho’s groans continued for a while.

“To think that a bulldozer like you would make such groaning sounds, how amusing, euhehe.”

Lee Dae-soo burst into laughter and said, raising the corners of his mouth as if Myeong Jin-ho was in front of him.

“Withdraw from Ado Motors. If you withdraw, I’ll convert all those bills into 30-year bonds.”

[Th-thirty years? Is that true?]

Lee Dae-soo replied with a raised lip as Myeong Jin-ho’s voice brightened.

“Have you ever seen me talking nonsense in my study? I’ll attach a fixed interest rate of only 7 percent and tie it all up in automobiles, construction, precision, merchant ships, and maritime. How about it?”

Considering all the resentment he had accumulated, he wanted to receive interest linked to the market interest rate, but Lee Dae-soo couldn’t ignore his eldest grandson’s plea to take it out little by little over a long period. He himself thought so in his head, so he took a step back.

[Hmm…]

“Why? Are you regretting it? Then I’ll contact CEO Cho right now…”

Before Lee Dae-soo’s indifferent voice could finish, Myeong Jin-ho’s voice was heard.

[I-I’ll do it! Isn’t it enough to withdraw! I’ll make it clear that I’ll give up cleanly if you let me pay it back starting in two years!]

A smile appeared on Lee Dae-soo’s lips as Myeong Jin-ho declared his surrender.

“Good. Let’s draw up the contract tomorrow morning and stamp it, euhehe.”

Lee Dae-soo’s hearty laughter filled the study. It goes without saying that Lee Dae-soo’s face brightened as he burst into laughter.

***

A few days later.

“You’re finally back.”

After hearing the news that the Haedong Group and Standard Capital, Shinseong Group consortium had been selected as the preferred bidder for the Ado Motors acquisition, I took a plane from Hong Kong and came out of the Gimpo Airport arrival hall.

I stopped by my Itaewon house to unpack my luggage, took only what I needed, and went straight to the main house in Samcheong-dong. I opened the door to the study, crossed the threshold, and shouted loudly at my grandfather, who was sitting at his desk.

“I’m back from my business trip, Grandfather!”

Following my greeting, I bowed, and my grandfather jumped up from his chair and helped me up.

“Well done, my boy! Where did such a lucky charm come from!”

My grandfather patted me on the shoulder and laughed heartily. I smiled at my grandfather.

“I’m Grandfather’s eldest grandson and Father’s son, after all, hehe.”

“That’s right! My eldest grandson and the only son of my late eldest son! Come, sit down!”

I sat on the sofa, led by my grandfather’s hand, and drank tea.

“This old man has no regrets even if he leaves now. I want to meet your parents who passed away and tell them that you’ve grown up so well.”

“Don’t say that, Grandfather. You have to live a long, long time and see our family prosper. And lend us a hand, too.”

My grandfather blinked and smiled again.

“That’s right. I have to watch our eldest grandson steadily grow the family fortune and help when help is needed, euhehe.”

My grandfather, who was laughing and drinking tea, put down his cup and asked.

“Did you leave Tae-jin behind?”

“Yes. I told him to rest well until I call him, since he’s been working hard. The same goes for the others.”

My grandfather nodded with a satisfied expression on his face.

“Well done. They’ve all done so much to help my boy, so they should get plenty of rest. The leader must be clear about rewards and punishments, but I don’t need to teach you that, huhu.”

“No, Grandfather. I learned it all from watching Grandfather and the other adults.”

I feigned humility at the excessive praise, but my grandfather shook his head.

“Most of them know but don’t do it, you rascal. Half of them can’t do it because they lack confidence or don’t know how. You left Tae-jin behind and let him go, so didn’t you know what you were doing? The same goes for the money issue.”

My grandfather understood my thoughts exactly. With 10 billion dollars, anyone could lose their mind, so I left Park Tae-jin behind…

“I’ve been caught, hehe.”

“Even if your talent for making money is better than this old man, you’re still far from catching up to this old man in terms of navigating the world, hehe.”

That would be the case. Wasn’t my grandfather someone who had already experienced the path I was walking?

After that, my grandfather listened to what had happened in Hong Kong and either opened his mouth wide or let out exclamations through the gaps in his rounded lips.

“You’re my boy, but the more I look at you, the more amazing you are. How did a guy who wanted to pore over history books so much change like this?”

“The environment has changed, so I have to change too. I have no more regrets, Grandfather.”

It wasn’t just a simple compliment. I can’t tell Grandfather the truth, but I’m creating history with my own hands while taking my revenge, so I have no regrets.

My grandfather nodded, looking at me with a satisfied expression.

“You worked hard enduring the summer in that hot land. Don’t touch work for a few days and get plenty of rest. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Grandfather. I’ll get plenty of rest for a few days.”

I replied to my grandfather’s consideration, but I have too much to do. Isn’t it time to sell the umbrella called dollars in the face of the typhoon called the foreign exchange crisis? I will earn thoroughly.

***

After sending Lee Seong-min away, Lee Dae-soo jumped up from the sofa and made a phone call.

“It’s me, Seung-joo! Bring Myeong-jin and three people in! Right now!”

[Ch-Chairman?]

“Don’t ask questions, just tell them all to come! I’ll explain the reason later!”

The fact that Lee Seong-min had earned 10 billion dollars in Hong Kong was a secret that was kept even from Go Seung-joo. Lee Dae-soo ended his outburst to Go Seung-joo, put down the receiver, and paced around the study.

Lee Dae-soo paced back and forth in the study, pondering how to increase the 10 billion dollars that his grandson had earned. Wasn’t it a natural duty as a grandfather and as the head of the family and group?

Just as Lee Dae-soo, who was sweating from pacing for a long time, heard a knock.

[Chairman, this is Go Seung-joo. The Vice Chairman and the three CEOs have also arrived.]

“Come in.”

As soon as Lee Dae-soo’s shout ended, Bae Jae-hoon, Tae Jae-ho, Cho Young-chan, Go Seung-joo, and Lee Myeong-jin entered in order.

“Everyone, sit down.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Seeing Lee Dae-soo’s bright expression while sitting in the seat of honor, all five men breathed a sigh of relief. Lee Dae-soo chuckled as he looked at them.

“Everyone’s on edge, huhuhu.”

“We were wondering if something had happened since you suddenly told us to come, haha.”

Lee Dae-soo chuckled at the leader Bae Jae-hoon’s hearty laugh.

“You’re getting old too. It feels like just yesterday that you and I were growling at Jinjuho and his cronies with wooden sticks and steel pipes in Vietnam, hehe.”

“Oh, Chairman. I’m over sixty, so I have to take care of myself, hehe. But what brings us here at this hour?”

At Bae Jae-hoon’s question, who had dropped his jest, Lee Dae-soo cleared his throat and gathered the attention of the five people. Assuming that the tension had been sufficiently relieved, Lee Dae-soo revealed the truth.

“You all know that Seong-min put 300 million dollars into the Hong Kong stock market, right?”

“Yes. Isn’t that a project that Standard Capital also joined?”

Lee Dae-soo nodded at Tae Jae-ho’s question. With a very satisfied expression.

“That’s right. That Seong-min made 10 billion dollars with that 300 million dollars.”

“Yes?”

At Lee Dae-soo’s bombshell declaration, the eyes of the five men widened and their mouths dropped open. 10 billion dollars?

“We have to sell that dollar properly too. Shouldn’t we save face for that Seong-min?”

Lee Dae-soo was right.

It was up to the people gathered here to make the most of the 6 billion dollars that the group had accumulated so far, the 4 billion dollar loan contracted with Chase Manhattan, and the 10 billion dollars earned in Hong Kong.

Looking at the five people nodding while unable to calm the color rising in their faces, Lee Dae-soo called Cho Young-chan.

“CEO Cho.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“How’s the foreign exchange market doing?”

Cho Young-chan opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for it.

“According to the joint investigation by the Merchant Bank Planning Office and the Group Secretariat, there’s not much time left. Because the hedge funds’ offensive is so strong, the dollar will definitely exceed 1,000 won per dollar within the next month. It may even rise much higher than that.”

“CEO Cho is right, Chairman. Among the working-level staff in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, there’s talk that if things continue like this, we can’t avoid the IMF [International Monetary Fund] management system.”

Lee Dae-soo groaned after hearing Cho Young-chan and Go Seung-joo’s answers.

“Those bastards, I knew it from the moment they carelessly popped the champagne…”

It was a pathetic reality. The government and the political world, which should have controlled the reckless management of large corporations, had catered to that atmosphere and filled their own bellies, hadn’t they?

In the face of the coming brutal reality, Haedong Group would make a lot of money, but perhaps because of a shred of conscience, Lee Dae-soo looked at the black Pieta with a sigh, his expression not looking so good.

“Standard Capital will start the dollar business by scamming Jang Ho-gun. Don’t sell even one dollar until then.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Everyone answered in unison to Lee Dae-soo’s solemn order.

Without anyone knowing that the instruction was Lee Dae-soo’s consideration for his eldest grandson.